Box-blank-corner-cutting machine



m). 17. 19.25. 1,526,444 F. C. WESTMAN BOX BLANK CORNER CUTTING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'I/i'(I/IIIIIIIIIII/IIIIv vFeb. 17. 1925. 1,526,444

' F. c. WESTMAN BOX BLANK CORNER CUTTING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1924 2 $heets-$heef 2 J7 J2 -m 3 Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

oar-a stares PATENT OFFICE.

rnano'rs'onrannon me ni gs-i esame,ONTARIO; CANADA, nssIGNore. row. 0. RITCHIE & COMPANY; orcnroaso, ILLINOIS, A oonronnrron or ILLINOIS.

BossesaK-eesmawmm MACHINE,

Application filed March '19, 1924. Serial no; 700,249.

To all whom itmag oon'cem."

Be it known that I, FnANois CAMnnoN VVEs'rMAN, a sub ect of the Kingof Great Britain, residing in the city of Toronto,

5 county of York; Province of 'Untari'o,Do

minion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful" Improvements in Box Blank-Corner-(lutting h l achines, of'fwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to features ofnov elty and improvement in box-blank cornercutting machines, and one object ofthe invention is the provision of meansfor'sup porting a stack of blanks to be out in such a position that they lie vertically;

A- further aim of the invention is the prbduct'ion of means engaging each edge of the blanks for holdingthem in alined position," thus eliminating the possibility of the development of mal-alinement during the corner-cutting operation.

A still further purpose of the invention is to supply means controlled by compressed air or other fluid for actuating-clamps that hold the two upper edges" of the blanks in position, and another object is to devise compressed air or other fluidc-ontrolling means for actuating the presser or holder that'eng'ages the face of the foremost blank for compressing the group or stack ofblanks against the back or abutment plate.

Ithasbeen found that by "holding the set 9 9 of blanks on all edges to keep them in GXL act alinement and at the sametime com pressln'g all of the blanks of the group together'facewise. a firm and iagrcl'mass will beformed which can be readily'cutwith exg actitu'de' and with smooth marginsalong' the borders of the cavity orre'cess produced by the cutter.

Another advantage of a construction of this type resides inhaving the stack of blanks arranged horizontally and providing the cutting'fmeans along the lower portion of' 'such group so that the severed corners are readily discharged from the machine and easily free themselves from the cutting knife.

In the accompanying drawings setting forth a preferredembodiment o fthe invention, like reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout theseveral views."

Fig. 4- is a vertical section, on anenlarged scale, on line 14 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the cutting knife and its 'reciprocatory support.

Referring to these drawings. it will be perceived that the frame .1 of the new box blank corner-cutter at its upper part is supplied with a rabbeted top 2 accommodating the pair of longitudinal or horizontal guide-platesii, 8 provided on their inner edges with V-shaped slots 4-, slidable in which. are the V-shaped sides or edges 5 of a suitably shaped and slotted knife'hearing slide 6.

A bracket 7 extends upwardly from the slide 6, and to it is secured the corner-cutting knife 8 of right angled section and having tapered or beveled cutting edges The slide 6 is rcciprocated in the guide plates 3 by any appropriate means driven from a suitable source of power, such as by the rocker arm 10 (Fig. 1), which has its upp'er'end connected by a link 11 to the center of one end portion of the slide 6.

Omaositely-disposed acute-angle brackets 12, 12, mounted on the top of the machine frame by means of bolts or screws 13. carry brackets: 14, 14:, adjustably secured thereto, and which in turn are fastened to the out-- side faces of the box-blank supporting angleplates 15, 15.

The adjustable connection between the angle brackets 12 and 14 is efiected by means of shouldered set-screws 16, 16 adapted to extend through slots 17, 17 in the angle brackets 14, 14, and threaded into the angle brackets '12, 12.

Opposed compressed-air cylinders 18, 18

aresuitably secured to the outside faces of the box-blank supporting angle-plates 15, 15, each of such cylinders having a longitudinal slot 19 through the upper or inner portion of its wall, and through such slots lugs 20, 20 on the pistons 21, 21 extend, the pistons being reciprocable in the cylinders, as will be readily understood. c i

Each piston 21 is provided with an orifice or cavity 22 extended upwardly or inwardly from its lower end, in which is positioned a spring 23, the lower end of which is adapted to engage the closed bottom or end wall of its cylinder 18.

24, 24 are opposed, inclined arms adjustably secured to the lugs 20, 20 by means of set-screws 25, 25 which extend through longitudinal slots 26, 26 in the members 24, 24, and are threaded into orifices 27, 27 in the lugs.

Transversely-extending feet 28, 28 are provided on the lower ends of the arms 24, 24 and are adapted to respectively engage the upper side edges of the box-blanks 29 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

A horizontallydisposed cylinder 30 is located at the forward endof the machine and is secured to the frame 1. A piston 31 in such cylinder is secured to the rearwardlyextended piston-rod 32, which passes or slides freely through an orifice in the otherwise closed rear or inner end of the cylinder,

and this red is provided exteriorly of the cylinder with a box-blank engaging or'pressure member 33 having a notch or recess in its lower corner in order that such member may clear the knife 8. A spiral spring 35 encircles the piston-rod 32 and is adapted to restore such piston to its initial or outer position upon the release of the compressed air in the cylinder.

Compressed-air pipes 36, 36 lead from a valve 37 to the upper port-ions of the two transverse inclined cylinders 18, 18, and the compressed-air pipe 38 leads from such valve 37 to the outer portion of the horizontal cylinder 30, 39 being an air pipe leading from a compressed-air reservoir 40 (Fig. 1) to the valve 37. i

A back plate 41 provided with a rightangled foot 42 is suitably secured to the top of the frame 1 of the machine, the valve 37 being mounted on such foot, and the lower portion of the wall-41 is recessed, as shown in Fig. 3, for the passage therebeneath of the corner-cutting knife 8 during the reciprocation of the latter.

The box-blank supporting angle-plates 15,

15 are equipped at their rear ends with out-- wardly-extending webs 43, 43 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted to bear against the back plate 41, shouldered set-screws 44 extending through slots 45 in the webs 43, 43 into threaded orifices 46 in the back plate 41. This construction permits ofthe required or desired adjustment of the parts and their maintenance fixedly in adjusted positions. Out-Wardlyextending brackets 47, 47 on the back plate 41 are fitted with adjusting screws 48, 48, the extremities of which abut or bear against bosses 49, 49 on the webs 43, 43.

The operation of the mechanism as described occurs practically as follows:

A stack or group of box-blanks is positioned or rested on the opposed angle-plates 15, 15, in the manner illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that the lower corners of the blanks extend down into the space be tween such spaced-apart angle-plates.

In inserting the blanks into the machine or receptacle for them, the arms 24, 24 and their feet 28, 28 are in their uppermost position, the pistons 21 under these circiunstances being at the upper ends of their strokes, in which relation they are normally held by means of their coacting springs 23, 23.

In view of the fact that all of the blanks of the horizontal group are positioned vertically, they tend by their own weight to aline themselves properly on the two supporting plates on which they bear, and this is one reason why the group or set of blanks is disposed horizontally rather than vertically.

W' hen the valve 37 is opened, air from the air pipe 39 is simultaneously introduced through the pipes 36, 36 into the pair of cylinders 18, 18, whose pistons 21, 21 are consequently forced downwardly, thus pressing down the arms 24 and their attached feet so that the latter engage the oppositely-inclined edges of the multiplicity of blanks 29, thus holding the latter firmly in their alined positions.

Simultaneously compressed-air is admitted through the pipe 38 into the cylinder 30, where it forces the piston 31 rearwardly, thus bringing the pressure member 33 into engagement with the front face of the foremost blank 29, hence compressing the stack or group of blanks between itself and the back plate 41.

Then the knife 28 is actuated in a rearward directi'onthrough the medium of the rocker arm 10 and the connecting mechanism, and such knife cuts out the lower corners of all of the blanks. This knife makes one complete stroke, its reciprocation being controlled by any suitable clutch mechanism, which is not shown or described in detail, as it forms no part of the present invention.

It will be perceived that during this corner-removing operation the blanks are held firmly against displacement in all directions, and they are held pressed together so that the knife removes the corners, leaving'smooth edges, and without displacing any of the blanks out of their proper alinement.

Furthermore, since the removed cornersections are cut from the bottom portions of the arms 2st and the member are moved out of engagement with the blanks. It is now only necessary to turn over the stack of blanks to bring an uncut corner into position for removal by the cutting knife 8, and the above specified shearing or cutting operation is repeated after the blanks have been clamped in position as has been fully described. These operations are continued or repeated until the four corners have been cut out of the set of blanks.

In the drawings, the angle-plates 15, 15 and the arms 2st, 24 are set for cutting a certain size of blanks, but should it be desired to act on blanks of different dimensions, it is only necessary to adjust the setting of the angle-plates 15 through the me dium of the set-screws 16 and a4, anyfine adjustment being broughtabout through the medium of the adjusting screws 48, as, the positions of the arms 24, 24 being also modi fied by sliding them longitudinally on the lugs, whereon they are held in any desired position, and maintaining them in such rela tion by means of the co-operat-ing set-screws 25, 25.

From the above description it will. be apparent that I have devised a simple and effective means for holding the blanks on all four sides during the cutting operation, thus insuring the uniform cutting of the corners out of the blanks; and, furthermore. I have devised means for compressing the stack of blanks during the cutting operation, which will aid in securing such uniform cut, in consequence making a clea-n'cut corner.

In addition, I have devised means whereby the blanks are supported while in a vertical position, thus permitting a horizontal, reciprocatory knife to be used, this arrang ment of elements beingof advantage in origi nally alining the blanks of the group and in the removal from the machine of the cut-out pasteboard corners.

Although. in this application I have set forth in detail one particular embodiment of I claim:

1. In abox-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of means to tightly clamp a stack of blanks to hold them in alincmcnt by engagement with the edges oi the blanks. means to cut out the corners of the blanks oi the stack while they are thus clamped. and means to operate said corner-cutting means.

2. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of means to tightly clamp a stack of blanks to hold them in alinement by engagement with the edges of the blanks. means to press the blanks of the stack together face to face, n'leans to cut out the corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clamped and pressed. and means to operate said corner-cutting means.

3. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of means to tightly clamp a stack of blanks to hold them in alinemont by engagement with the edges of the blanks. means to press the blanks of the stack to gather face to face, means to operate said clamping and pressing means substantially simultaneously, means to cut out the corners of the blanks oi": the stack while they are thus clamped and pressed. and. means to operate said corner-cutting means.

4-. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine. the combination of means to tiglitlv clamp a substantially horizontal stack of blanks in which the individual blanks are disposed substantially vertically to hold them in alinement by cngagen'ient with the edges of the blanks, means to cut outthe lower corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clamped. and means to operate said cornerc-utting means.

5. In a bomblank corner-cutting machine. the combination of means to tightly clamp a substantially horizontal, stack of blanks with the lower edges of the blanks inclined upwardly in opposite directions and in which the individual blanks are di s ioscd sub stantially vertically to hold them in aline ment by engagementwith the edges of the blanks, means to press the stack of blanks together face to face. means to cut out the lower corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clan'lped and pressed, and means to operate said corner-cutting means.

6. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of means to tightly clamp a substantially horizontal stack ot blanks in which the individual blanks are disposed substantially verticallv with their lower edges inclined upwardly in opposite directions to hold them in alinement by engagement with the edges of the blanks. means to press the blanks of the stack together face to face, means to operate said clamping and pressing means simultaneously, means to cut out the lower corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clamped and pressed, and means to operate said corner cutting means.

7. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of a pair of abutment members against which edges of the blanks of a stack are adapted to bear, movable clamping members adapted to engage other edges of the blanks of the stack to firmly hold the blanks of the stack in alinement between themselves and said abutment members, means to operate said movable clamping members, means to cut out corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clamped, and means to operate said cornercutting means.

8. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of a pair of abutment members against which edges of the blanks of a stack are adapted to bear, movable clamping members adapted to engage other edges of the blanks of the stack to firmly hold the blanks of the stack in alinement between themselves and said abutment members, means to operate said movable clamping members, an abutment element against which one of the end blanks of the stack is adapted to bear facewise, means to engage the outer face of the opposite end blank of the stack to compress the latter between itself and said abutment element, means to operate said compressing means, means to cut out corners of the blanks of the stack while they are thus clamped and compressed, and means to operate said corner-cutting means.

9. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of a pair of supporting members against which the edges of the blanks of a stack are adapted to bear, movable clamping members adapted to engage other edges of the blanks of the stack to firmly clamp the blanks of the stack in alinement between themselves and said supporting members, means to operate said movable clamping members, an abutment element against which one of the end blanks of the stack is adapted to bear facewise, means to engage the outer face of the opposite end blank of the stack to compress the latter between itself and said abutment element, means to operate said compressing means, and means to cause said clamping members operating means and said compressing-means operating means to actuate substantially simultaneously.

10. In a boxeblank corner-cutting machine, the combination of a pair of members spaced apart and having generally-horizontal upwardly-diverging bearing surfaces adapted to support the lower edges of the blanks of a substantially horizontally-disposed stack of blanks the blanks of which are arranged substantially vertically, a pair of movable clamping members designed to engage the opposite edges of the blanks and clamp the stack firmly between themselves and said surfaces to keep the blanks in register, means to operate said clamping members, means to cut out the lower corners of the blanks while they are held thus clamped in register, and means to operate said corner cutter.

11. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine,the combination of a pair of members spaced apart and having generally-horizontal upwardly-diverging bearing surfaces adapted to support the lower edges of the blanks of a substantially horizontally disposed stack, the blanks of such stack being substantially vertically arranged, a pair of movable clamping members designed to engage the opposite edges of the blanks and to clam the'stack firmly between themselves and said surfaces to keep the blanks in register, means to operate said clamping mem here, an abutment against which a face of an end blank of the stack is adapted to bear, means to engage the outer face of the opposite end blank of the stack to compress the latter between itself and said abutment, means to actuate said compressing means, means to cut out the lower corners of the blanks while they are held thus clamped and compressed in register, and means to operate said corner-cutter.

12. In a box-blank corner-cutting machine, the combination of a pair of members spaced apart and having generally-horizontal upwardly-diverging bearing surfaces adapted to support the lower edges of the blanks of a substantially horizontally disposed stack with the blanks of the stack arranged substantially vertically, a pair of fluid-operated means tosubstantially simultaneously actuate said clamping and compressing means, means to cut out the lower corners of the blanks while they are held thus clamped and compressed in register, and means to operate said corner-cutter.

FRANCIS CAMERON WESTMAN. 

